Tell me, show me
“You can’t know what your dog is thinking — except when you can. You and your dog both know if you’re about to go for a walk or get into the car; and when you’re preparing to give them some leftovers, you both understand it. True, most of the time I don’t know what they’re thinking. But most of the time I don’t know whether my wife is thinking about how much she loves me or what she’d like for dinner. She can tell me, or show me. Otherwise I can’t know what’s on her mind. Love and dinner occur to our dogs, too, but a dog’s ability to tell us is limited. Their ability to show us is a bit better. But they have whatever thoughts they have, regardless. And it’s enough, in a few words and gestures between us, for deep affection and trust, for a shared life.” — Carl Safina in Beyond Words; What Wolves and Dogs Think and Feel
I invite young readers to learn about the inner lives of wolves and dogs, in my new book Beyond Words; What Wolves and Dogs Think and Feel, a young-adult adaptation of my bestseller Beyond Words; What Animals Think and Feel. Available at booksellers and online now.
